Mueller for Lombard president; Gron and Wilson for trustee

It is hard to ignore the accomplishments of incumbent William Mueller, seeking his fifth term as Lombard's top elected official. The renaissance of the Yorktown Shopping Center and especially the surrounding area, now anchored by the Westin Hotel and a host of upscale restaurants have some mentioning Lombard in the same breath as the Schaumburgs and Napervilles of the world. Mueller, who has battled cancer, seems in good health, good spirits and eager to begin his fifth term. It will be a challenge, as the village, like all others, will have to make tough calls on spending in this sorry economy. He also will need to take heed of the not-too-distant cries of other candidates concerned about the health of Lombard's downtown. That does need Mueller's attention, and we're confident he will give it. Mueller is challenged by two-term Trustee Richard Soderstrom, a thoughtful, knowledgeable candidate, and local shop owner Sam Jaber, who runs with enthusiasm but lacks experience. Neither presents a compelling case for how they'd do a better job than Mueller.

For trustee in District 1, incumbent Greg Gron seeks a second term. We're impressed with his commitment to making "basements" and the flooding thereof a priority. That shows a good understanding of the nuts-and-bolts issues that concern residents of his district. We like the enthusiasm and questioning approach of Gron's opponent Monte Bohacz, a Glendale Heights police officer, but some of his positions, such as calling for a skateboard park to be built downtown, shows some misunderstanding of the roles of separate governments - the village and park district. We endorse Gron.

For trustee in District 3, Zachary Wilson, an attorney and 10-year resident of Lombard, is a knowledgeable, aggressive candidate, who takes incumbent John "Jack" O'Brien to task for some votes, including allowing a gun shop to move in relatively close to a school, a measure that ultimately was defeated. We're a bit unimpressed with O'Brien's response on why he voted that way. We also question whether he has the right temperament to continue as a village board member. Wilson is endorsed.